Recess
by Juze
Summary: Recess is the favorite time of day for kindergarten teacher Bella Swan...because that is when she gets to see him. Who is that jogger who keeps running past the school every day? Pure fluff. Now complete.
1. Recess

Recess.

Easily my favorite time of day. Not because I hated school or wanted to play. No, recess was my favorite time of day because that was when I would see _him_ every day.

"Miss Swan! Miss Swan!" My eyes immediately scanned the playground to find the source of the noise. It was Jacob. Of course.

"Yes, Jacob?" I bent down to his eye level as he proceeded to tell me about how his rights had been violated in the bike line by Seth cutting in front of him. I talked them through the resolution process, smiling as I turned away. Ah, the simplicity of being a kindergartner, when the biggest problem was waiting for a turn to ride a bike.

Just then, a flash of movement caught my periphery. My smile grew as the realization that what I had been waiting for was about to appear around the corner. Not a moment later, I saw him coming out from around the bushes planted along the side of the street.

Every day, it was the same thing. Sometime during the thirty minutes my class was outside, he would come jogging along the side of the school, right next to where my students were happily enjoying their freedom. We never spoke, but we would always smile and nod at each other. And then, he would be gone; disappearing down the same side street he jogged down every day.

It was a bit pathetic, really, how my whole day seemed to hinge on whether or not I received my morning nod. I remembered well the few occasions when I had been caught up in one playground tragedy or another and missed him. My whole day had felt bleak.

I must have sighed after the jogger left, because Angela heard me.

"Did I just miss him?" I caught the mischievous look in her eye, but decided to answer anyway.

"Yup. That was him." Even I could hear the wistful sound in my voice.

"Seriously, Bells, you really need to either get over him or do something really crazy. Like actually talk to him."

"Yeah, and how am I supposed to do that? 'Hey, I can see that you're in the middle of a run right now, but what do you say you stop for a moment so that a crazy teacher can talk to you?' Yeah right."

"Well, it couldn't hurt. Besides, he smiles at you every day. Maybe he'd like to talk to you too."

"I'm not the one who keeps moving. If he wants to talk, all he has to do is stop." At this point I had to stop and intervene in a potentially upsetting situation involving two children wanting to play with the same toy. I took a deep breath. Time to go be "teacher" again.

*****

EPOV

Water.

That was the only thing on my mind right now as I grabbed a glass and headed to the sink, wiping the sweat off my face as I went. Most joggers carried water with them, but I could never seem to get into the habit. Maybe one of these days I'd cave and get a Camelpak so that I could have my water without needing to hold onto a water bottle.

As my breathing started to even out, my mind flashed back to my favorite part of the day. She was waiting for me again. I felt my lips curve up as I remembered her smile. Every day it was the same thing. I'd jog past, always improving my form a bit, and we'd smile. It was amazing to me that I had yet to run into anything during all of our encounters. I managed to get lost in her eyes, even from a distance.

Snap out of it, Edward! I mentally scolded myself, heading to the shower. It was ridiculous that a simple smile with a woman I had never really even met before should dominate my day so much. It was ridiculous that I was at her mercy without her even being aware. There were a few times when she'd been busy as I made my pass, making me miss out on her smile. Disappointment would circle in my stomach as I finished my run, only to be removed by seeing her again the next day.

The sound of the phone ringing snapped me out of my thoughts. Throwing some clothes on, I hit the speaker button.

"Cullen Industries."

"Hey, Edward. Got a moment to go over that report I just sent you?" Emmett's voice and the sound of rustling papers came from the other end.

"Yeah, just give me a minute to pull it up on my screen. I just got in." I sat down in my home office and pulled the computer out of hibernation.

"Yeah?" His amusement was clear, and I knew I'd see his patronizing grin if I could see him now. "What was she wearing today?"

I didn't even pretend to not know whom he was talking about. "Slacks. Blue shirt. Nothing special." Nothing except for the fact that the blue made her skin glow and the slacks fit in all the right places.

"Uh huh. Anyway, I wanted to go over those projections, do you have the report yet?"

"Yeah, I have them." I was grateful he let the topic go and focused back on the business at hand. The fact was that I loved my job. Going into business with my brother, Emmett, had been one of the best decisions I'd ever made. He was a genius at handling the office management, leaving me to handle the client interactions. It was a perfect division of our strengths. He was a motivator that made people want to do their best for him, and I was pretty good at sales and charming clients. The best part, though, was working at home, which meant that I could schedule in my run every day.

After we had discussed the report, he reverted back to the previous topic. "Why don't you just talk to her? You could pretend to stretch or stop to get some water or something."

"Yeah, and what then? 'Hey, I know you're busy with your job and all, but could you please put me out of my misery and talk to me?' Real smooth."

"Well, you have to do something. This has been going on for almost two months now. You need to either get over her or actually talk to her. The smiling thing is starting to get kind of creepy."

The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea of talking to her. I wanted to know her name. I wanted to know if her voice was as sweet as her face. I decided.

"Okay, Em. I'll do it. Tomorrow, I think I may just need to tie my shoe on a certain street."

"About dang time!" Emmett's laughter rang through the phone line. "Tell me how it goes. Later!"

With that, the line went dead. A smile crept up my face as I realized what I was going to do. Tomorrow could not come soon enough.


	2. The Shoelace

_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, I just like making the characters dance like marionettes._

EPOV

I ran my usual route the next day, my heart beating double time, and not just from the exercise. I was actually going to do it. Holy cow. Today I was actually going to talk to her. I'd fantasized about meeting her, but to actually be doing it was terrifying.

The school loomed ahead, growing closer with every stride. I could see her now, standing in her usual spot near the fence. I waited until she was just a few feet away. It was now or never.

Slowing down, I finally stopped when I was just on the other side of the fence from her. Kneeling, I bent to re-tie my already perfectly tied shoe. Glancing up, I made eye contact with two beautiful brown eyes.

"Hi." Smooth. I was quite the Shakespeare.

"Hi," came the shy response. Her voice sounded even better than I'd imagined, and I felt one side of my mouth pulling up.

"So are you a new teacher here?" I blurted the first thing I could think of.

"Yes, I was just hired this year. Why do you ask?" If I hadn't been busy berating myself for my lack of intelligence, I would have laughed at look of utter bewilderment on her face.

"I've just been running this way for a few years now, and I never noticed you until a few months ago. I think I would have remembered you."

A blush began to color her cheeks as she turned back towards the students. Idiot! I probably sounded like a creepy stalker, staring at the teachers and children.

"I-I just mean that you start to recognize people when you see them often enough. And when there's someone new, you can tell." This was not going the way that I had planned. I was about to turn away when I remembered that I still hadn't learned her name.

"I'm Edward, by the way," I said, holding my hand out across the fence.

"Bella." Her hand felt just right in my own, and I couldn't stop the goofy grin.

"Bella," I repeated. "It's nice to finally meet you." The thought that she needed to get back to work and that I should probably leave before I said something else inane pulled at me. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Same place, same time," she smiled. I could get used to that smile.

BPOV

I saw the jogger…Edward, as I now knew him, continue his route down to the side street. I couldn't stop the smile on my face as I thought about how I had finally spoken to him. I was so lost in my thoughts staring at the now empty street that I failed to notice Angela coming up next to me.

"Well, well. What was that all about?" I didn't buy her innocent look for a second; I could see the wheels in her head spinning at the new development she had seen.

"Nothing, he was just stopping to tie his shoe."

"Yeah right. You don't reach your hand over a fence to tie your shoe, now spill!"

The sound of the bell rang across the playground, saving me from answering. I sighed in relief.

"Sorry, Angela, I need to get the kids lined up."

"Um hmm," was the only response I got, in addition to a knowing smirk. She knew that I'd tell her eventually. After all, who else would I tell?


	3. Reflections

_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. If I did, I wouldn't still be paying student loans._

EPOV

Finishing the rest of my jog was like running through a haze. It was a good thing that I was so familiar with the way that I could run on autopilot, because that's exactly what I did. While my feet carried me closer to home, my mind dwelled on the brunette whose voice I had finally heard. Sure, I'd heard her calling across the playground once in awhile, but it was completely different to hear her speak just to me.

It wasn't until I had nearly reached my door when I began going over the actual words that we had exchanged. I couldn't believe I had completely lost my composure! I was the one who was supposed to be calm and collected, the charmer who brought in the unattainable clients. The fact that I couldn't put two sentences together in a coherent fashion in front of Bella was more than embarrassing. It was astounding.

Bella. What a perfect name for her.

Once again, the phone rang just as I got out of the shower.

Emmett.

"So, how'd it go? Did you talk to her?" He didn't even wait for me to say hello, he just started in with the questions as soon as I picked up.

"Yes, I talked to her." I could hardly suppress the pride. "Her name is Bella."

"See, it wasn't so hard now, was it?" I could almost hear the grin.

"No, you were right as always. I don't know what I'd do without your astounding wisdom you genius you." I kept my voice in a complete deadpan.

"Brat."

"Nerd."

"At least I'm smart."

"Uh huh. Now if we're done reliving junior high, care to tell me what you're calling for?"

"Yeah, we might have a new client, I need you to set up a meet and greet. You know, convince him that we're the best, which we are, and that there really is no competition, which there isn't."

I chuckled. "Same old, same old, eh? So tell me about this guy." I listened and took notes while Emmett filled me in on all the relevant details about the man and his company. After he hung up, I began my own research to fill in the missing details. This was the part of my job that I loved the most. I loved the challenge of trying to match a business' needs with our company's abilities.

Despite the fact that we were leaders in the cutting edge of office electronics and programs, we tried to keep it as family based as possible. My parents had started the company, and it had been passed down to Emmett and me. Maybe one day I could pass it down to my children.

Bella's face flashed in my mind, before I set it aside for the moment. Tomorrow would come soon enough, and right now I needed to work.

I should have known that resistance was futile. Every time I looked away from the screen for a moment, all I saw were her chocolate eyes. I allowed myself a few moments to daze off, but then went back to work. I could only hope that tomorrow's conversation went smoother than today's. That way, at least I could be daydreaming about something good that had happened, instead of wishing it had gone differently.

BPOV

I had to hand it to Angela. She didn't pounce on me when I went into the staff room for lunch. Instead, she just sat and watched me, wearing down my resistance. Finally, I cracked.

"Okay, his name is Edward. He's been jogging by the school for a few years, and knew that I was a new teacher. I told him my name, we shook hands, and that was it. That's all that happened."

She didn't reply, she just sat there watching me.

"What? There's nothing else to tell. Seriously, that's all that happened."

"Then why are you still smiling hours later?"

I realized then that I still had a silly smile on my face. The same one that I had been wearing since he first started speaking.

"I don't know, it was just nice to finally meet him."

"And to finally know his name so we don't have to keep calling him the 'running guy,'" she added with a smile of her own. With that, the topic was dropped, leaving me to dwell on our meeting in my own head.

I finished my lunch and headed back to call my students in from their lunch break. It was times like these when I was grateful for all day kindergarten, as I could let my mind wander while they took their naps.

"Miss Swan?" A sleepy voice pulled me from my thoughts.

"Yes Leah?" I asked in a quiet voice, walking over to her.

"I'm not tired. Can I go play?" The hope in her voice was evident, and I struggled not to give in to the chuckle in my throat.

"No, Leah. Right now is rest time. If you can't sleep, you can just rest for awhile." I patted her shoulder, knowing full well that it would only be a matter of minutes before she nodded off.

I loved my job. It was still amazing to me that I was paid to play and teach these adorable children. They certainly tried my patience at times, but it was worth it.

I settled back in my chair and attempted to stay focused on my lesson plan. My school had recently adopted a new curricula program, and I needed to go through it to see what I could use. Every few minutes, though, my mind would drift away to thoughts of green eyes. He was so clearly nervous today, and I found it to be very adorable. I wondered if he was always so uncomposed. Secretly, I hoped that maybe it was just because of me.


	4. Making Plans

_Disclaimer Update: Nope. Still don't own Twilight._

**EPOV**

The doors swung behind me as my footsteps echoed across the marble floors. In my mind, I let out a low whistle as I took in the elegance of the foyer. It was tastefully decorated, and somehow managed to come across as luxurious without having the cold, austere feeling that was in most business lobbies. Despite the inward musings, I kept my face a calm and friendly mask as I walked up to the reception desk.

"Edward Cullen with Cullen Industries. I'm here for my 2:00 with Mr. Hale."

"Yes, he should be with you in a moment. Please have a seat." She gestured to two overstuffed armchairs to the side. I picked up a magazine as I waited. Hmm, Car and Driver. Interesting magazine choice for a business that had nothing to do with cars.

As I waited, I thought back to my jog from earlier in the day. It had been almost a week since that first meeting with Bella. It was now my habit to pause by the school each day and talk with her throughout the fifteen-minute recess.

We had so far covered such basics as places we'd grown up and colleges we attended. She didn't have any siblings, but I told her about Emmett. It was strange talking to someone who was always faced away, watching the playground while she talked. Sometimes she'd be in the middle of a sentence when she'd need to call out to one of the children. How she managed to be so talented at multi-tasking astounded me. Despite my delight in discovering little insights about her, I wondered what it would be like to have a conversation where her attention was not divided; to have her looking at and talking only to me. That may need to be arranged.

I'd only been seated for a few minutes when a beautiful blond walked around the corner, holder her hand out towards me.

"Hello, Mr. Cullen. I'm Rosalie Hale. My brother got tied up today, but I'm able to hear your proposal. If you will just follow me?"

I shook her hand and gathered my briefcase as we went into the conference room. I proceeded to lay out the business plan I had worked on diligently for her company.

"From the information I was able to gather, it seems that we can best help you and your brother by streamlining the programs that you already have in place by adding our latest database. It will connect all of your different departments and make communication much faster and easier."

"Well, I like the sound of that." I caught the flirtatious look she gave me, but ignored it. My mind was too filled with a certain brunette to take in the blond before me as more than just a potential client.

She quickly came around to the idea of using our new database, and it only took another half hour or so to finish hammering out the details. I agreed to messenger over the contract by the next day, and we shook hands to finalize the deal.

There was nothing quite like the rush of closing a sale. It made me feel invincible, that the world was full of endless possibilities. The fact that this particular deal was a multi-million dollar one didn't hurt either.

Almost without knowing it, my car steered itself towards the school. A quick check of the time said that she should be outside for the last recess right about now. If I was lucky, I'd be able to catch her before she went back inside.

Luck was certainly with me. She was standing in her usual spot near the fence.

"Hey there."

She spun towards me, surprise showing clearly on her face. Her eyes widened as they looked at me leaning against the fence.

"U-uh, hi. What are you doing here?"

I smiled a bit at seeing her flustered. "I just got back from my meeting. Thought I'd stop by on my way home."

"How did it go?"

"Closed it." Her face broke out in a wide grin.

"Congratulations! That was a big one wasn't it?"

I was a bit surprised she remembered that detail. I'd only mentioned it in passing yesterday.

"Yeah, it was a big one. Hey, do you want to come out and help me celebrate tonight?"

Did I seriously just ask her out like that? Sure, I'd planned on asking her out eventually. Maybe start a conversation about movies or concerts and then suggest we go together sometime. But to blurt the question out like that was so unlike me. I was never this spontaneous. Everything in me itched to take the question back, to ask for a do-over, as I watched several emotions flicker across her face before it finally settled into a shy grin.

"Okay."

I didn't realize I'd been holding my breath until then. Joy and air filled my lungs at the same time as I drew in a large breath.

"Great! So, would you like me to pick you up or meet you at the restaurant?"

"Um, how about we meet here, at the school. It's close to my home, and I know it's within walking distance from yours." Her eyes turned teasing at the last comment.

I was slightly disappointed that she didn't want me picking her up like a proper date, but it made sense. After all, we've only been talking for a week. For all she knew, I was a serial killer with a teacher fetish. I told her to meet me at seven, and strode back to my car. My heart lifted as I saw her watching me as I pulled away from the curb and gave her a little wave.

This day was getting better all the time.

BPOV

The last week had been wonderful. It turned out the Edward and I had many things in common. We were both from small towns in the state, though not the same one, of course. I loved hearing about his relationship with his brother Emmett. I already felt like I knew him, even though we'd never met. Many people told me I was lucky when they found out I was an only child, but it was really pretty lonely. Even when my friends complained about their siblings, I could still tell the affection that was underlying their words. When I had children of my own, I'd make sure I had at least two.

The sudden image of having children to come home to, not just children I worked with but actual children who were my very own, swam before my eyes. I liked the thought, especially when it was coupled with a loving husband. Sigh. One day.

I was so lost in these thoughts that I didn't even hear the car pull up behind me, or notice the man getting out, until I heard a now familiar voice calling to me.

Surprised, I spun around. What I saw made me feel as though I was still spinning. So far, I'd only seen Edward while he was running. While he was stunning in his shorts and tee shirt, he was unbelievable in a suit and tie. Man, he cleaned up nicely!

I tried to focus on what he was saying; suddenly remembering how antsy he had been when talking about his meeting for today. He perked up when I asked him about it, but then he threw me for a loop when he suddenly asked me to help him celebrate.

Did he seriously just ask me out?

My first instinct was to yell "YES!" but then I took a moment to think. Firstly, if I yelled, I'd certainly attract the attention of the other (mostly female) teachers who were outside, which I did not want to do while talking to this incredibly attractive man. Secondly, I realized that I hardly knew him. Sure, I felt like I knew him, but the reality was that we have only been on speaking terms for a few days. He could be an axe murderer with a thing for brunettes for all I knew. But on the heels of that thought came the idea of saying "no" to him. It was unimaginable, because everything inside me longed to know more about him. I wanted to be able to sit down and find out more than what could be revealed in ten-minute snippets of time. So, I said the only thing I could.

"Okay."

His answering grin told me I'd made the right choice. It wasn't until I heard him take a deep breath that I realized he'd stopped breathing while waiting for my answer. It only served to endear him to me more.

I was relieved when he gave me the option of meeting him at the restaurant. I wasn't quite ready for him to know where I lived. Maybe on our second date.

Whoa. We were still in the middle of _planning_ our first date and I was already thinking of our second one? Snap out of it, Bella! Take things one at a time.

I still liked the idea of entering the restaurant with him, even if I wasn't ready to be picked up, so I offered a third option of meeting at the school. We agreed on a time and he walked back to his car. Even though I'd been watching him run for the past two months, there was something very different about watching him walk away now. The power of the right cut in a suit was amazing.

As he pulled away, he looked back and waved. Before I could respond, he was gone.

But not for long.

Little butterflies fluttered in my stomach as I thought about our date tonight. What on earth was I going to wear?


	5. Date Night

_Disclaimer: Twilight no belong to me._

BPOV

It was only a few hours after Edward had left that I was finally heading home. A part of me couldn't believe that I hadn't just imagined what had happened. I half expected to show up at the school tonight only to find out that it was all just a daydream.

Regardless, I started looking through my closet as soon as I got home and took a shower. I wasn't much of a shopper, but right then I wished that I had time to go to the mall. My clothes were nice, but they were all for work. Being a teacher meant that my clothes had to be somewhat conservative with an emphasis on comfort. Date clothes were conspicuously absent from my closet.

With a sigh, I finally settled on an outfit I'd bought for Open House last spring. It was a pretty skirt and blouse. It wasn't anything to knock anyone's socks off, but the best option that I had.

I glanced at the clock and realized with a shock that I had just spent an hour deliberating over the clothes, and now I only had about 45 minutes to finish my hair and make-up. Well, if my outfit was going to be sweet and simple, I may as well play that to my advantage and go for the natural look. Besides, I really didn't have time for anything too complicated.

About an hour later, I was once again in the school parking lot. It was strange to see the playground at night. It looked so forlorn. A flash of silver caught my eye as Edward pulled in next to me. I got out of my car and hopped into his before he even had a chance to open his door.

"Hi!" I didn't even try to hide my enthusiasm. I was on a date with a really nice, attractive guy who just had a very successful day and wanted to celebrate with me. There was no way I was going to ruin this by playing games.

"Hey there." He gave me a cheeky grin. "Shall we?"

"We shall." He pulled out and headed towards the main part of town. When he started driving past the main restaurants and headed towards the outskirts, I began to get curious.

"Where are we going?"

"There's a little Italian place out here that I love called Bella Italia. Have you tried it?"

"Seriously? Bella Italia? I love that place! It's so cozy. And their food is fabulous."

Before long we were pulling into the restaurant and he was opening my door. Stepping inside Bella Italia was like stepping into a small café in Tuscany. The atmosphere was so relaxed, and the décor complete the illusion of being transported to a small Italian villa. I breathed in the aromatic smell of garlic bread and was immediately in my happy place. The fact that Edward was standing right next to me just completed the contentment.

The waitress led us to a small booth in the back. Neither of us needed to look at the menu before ordering. As soon as he mentioned Bella Italia, my mind was filled with a craving for their amazing three-cheese tortellini with alfredo sauce, and Edward ordered their famous ravioli with pesto sauce.

Once the waitress left with our orders, I asked about the deal we were celebrating. I didn't miss how his eyes lit up a bit as he started explaining about the new streamlining database his company had created. It was understandable why he was so good at sales; halfway through the explanation even I wanted to invest in the new database, and I didn't even have a real use for it.

Eventually, the conversation became more personal. We started talking about how we had come into our chosen professions, hobbies, music preferences, movies, literature, and all of the other little things that helps make up who a person is. I was surprised at how many things we had in common. We liked many of the same musicians and books.

The one area where we had the biggest differences was in art. I had a special place in my heart for abstracts, while he didn't.

"Why in the world would you call something that looks like someone tripped and spilled paint on a canvas 'art?'"

"It's not as simple as that, Edward. It's all about creating an emotion. You feel what the artist was going through with abstracts. Conventional paintings display the talent of the artist, but abstracts display the artist's soul."

"Yeah, I'm still not buying it. If I'm going to hang something on my wall, I want to know what it is I'm looking at."

"That's the whole point! It can be anything you want it to be! Ugh, one of these days I'll take you to an art gallery and teach you how to appreciate them."

"Why, Miss Swan. Did you just ask me out on a date?" I suddenly realized that that was exactly what I had just done. I felt my cheeks start to flush, and dipped my head in a futile attempt to hide my reaction. He reached out and tipped my chin up with his finger. "No need to be embarrassed, I'd love to go to an art gallery with you."

It was the only time we'd touched other than the handshake across the fence the first time we'd talked. A pleasant warmth emanated from where his hand lingered for a moment before dropping back down. We continued to look at each other, the silence remaining comfortable.

We stayed at the Bella Italia for a long time. After dinner, we indulged in some dessert, and then followed it up with some coffee. It was as though neither of us wanted the evening to end.

When it was finally time to go, he stood up first and offered me a hand out of my seat. As we walked to the car, his hand rested on the small of my back. It was a small gesture, but very comforting. He again opened the car door for me to get in, as well as later when we pulled in next to my car. We both stood outside to say our goodbyes, the mild night giving just the barest hint of a breeze.

"So, I had a really nice time tonight, Edward."

"Me too.' He smiled. "Um, can I call you sometime?" The sudden uncertainty, which had been missing all night until now, made him look impossibly adorable.

"Of course," I smiled. We exchanged numbers, and then there was another pause in the conversation. It was the awkward end-of-the-date pause; the one where you weren't sure if you should shake hands or kiss. He solved the problem by opening his arms a bit for a hug. Just as I was about to pull away, he softly kissed my cheek.

"Goodnight, Bella," he breathed.

"Goodnight." Somehow, I managed to get into my car and drive home in my dazed state. As I lay in bed awhile later, I couldn't help but feel a tingling on my cheek where he had kissed me. My last coherent thoughts were those of hoping he'd call me soon.

_**A/N**__ Love and thanks to those of you who have reviewed and/or added my story to your alerts. You made my day! I know I didn't get around to Edward's POV in this chapter, but I really didn't see the point in re-writing the date from another perspective. I promise to start with his side in the next chapter though. Deal? _


	6. Later That Night

_Disclaimer: The only thing I own in the making of this story is the laptop I use to write it on. That is all._

**EPOV**

I watched Bella's taillights disappear into the night and reluctantly got back in my car. My lips tingled where they had touched Bella's cheek. My arms felt empty after holding her for just a moment. This was new. How could such an innocent encounter affect me so much? I'd had my fair share of dates, but never have I been so affected by a girl.

I was still reminiscing about the best first date of my life when I happened to glance towards my office and see the file in top of my desk. Crap. I'd been so distracted after making a date with Bella that I'd forgotten to tell Emmett about the meeting. Normally, it would be fine to wait for the next day, but it was Friday, and Ms. Hale wanted to set up the installation for early next week. I may as well get it over with.

It was still fairly early in the evening, only half past nine. I knew Emmett would definitely still be awake, and most likely still in the office. Sure enough, he picked up his office line after two rings, sounding tired but alert.

"Yeah?"

"Is that always how you answer your calls? No wonder you need me to do all the schmoozing. If it was up to you, we'd be out of business."

"Laugh it up, pretty boy, but if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have a product to sell, and you know it. Besides, only you and the folks have the number for the direct line. So, what's up? How'd that meeting go today?"

"The meeting went great, they want the Volturi package."

The paper rustling that I had been hearing from the other end suddenly stopped as Emmett froze at the mention of the most extensive program we offered.

"They want the Volturi? For a company that size? Ed, this is huge! When do they want it?"

"They want to start early next week. I told her that it's about a month long process and that we need time to train their employees, but she wants it expedited as much as possible."

"She? I thought you were meeting with a _Mr._ Hale?"

"Apparently he was in a meeting, so I met with his sister. They run the company together. Can you imagine doing business with a sibling? Horrible!" I added the last bit in mock horror for his amusement. It worked.

"Yeah, I couldn't imagine what would possibly induce siblings to work together. It never works out the way it should," he teased back. Soon enough, he got back into business mode. "Wait, did you say they want to start early next week?"

"Yep, that's what she said."

"Did you promise that we would start that soon, or did you say that we'd make every effort?"

"Of course I didn't promise, Em. You know Dad's motto: 'Always leave a little wiggle room in case of the unforeseen.'"

"Well, that's good, because I had to fire Marcus today."

"Really? Why?"

"You know those leaks? Well, I found where they were coming from."

Understanding coursed through me as I remembered the uncanny ability of our competitors to come up with amazingly similar products of our own just before they were released to the public.

"That was Marcus? He's been with us for years, though! Dad hired him, for crying out loud! That sneaky son of a goat!"

"Yeah, that's what I thought. It was definitely him, though. I even have proof."

"Well, that sucks." The implications were now starting to dawn on me. "So, not only do we now have a legal prosecution on our horizon, but we are also down one of our most efficient tech guys?"

"That about sums it up. And all of our other guys are in the middle of projects. I can't just pull them for the Hales."

Inspiration struck. "Hey Em, why don't you do it?"

"What?! You're crazy. I can't take time off to do that. Who would take care of things here?"

"Come on, Em, you know these systems backwards and forwards. You know I can't do the installation, but you can. We'll tag team. You take care of the technical side, and I'll train the employees. And besides, you know Kate is more than capable of running a tight ship. Probably even better than you!"

He paused as he thought about it. I knew that it was only a matter of time before he realized that this was the best option, so I just waited.

"Well, I guess we don't really have another choice, unless we want to push back installing for another month and risk losing the account." He let out his breath in exasperation. "Fine, call them on Monday and tell them we'll begin early Tuesday. I'll clear my calendar and direct all necessary details to Kate."

Another pause came over the line as I heard him shuffling some more papers, probably making notes to go over with Kate on Monday. I decided to be the one to break the silence this time.

"So, I had an interesting evening tonight."

"Yeah? What happened?" he asked, sounding disinterested and distracted.

"Oh, not much, just went out to dinner with Bella."

That got his attention. "Bella? Teacher lady? How'd this happen?"

I relayed how I'd stopped by the school after closing the sale and how our date went, ending with how I'd kissed her at the end. I left out the part where I spent the time between making the date and picking her up unsuccessfully attempting to work and worrying over what to wear. I didn't want to sound too much like a girl.

"Well, well. I'm proud of you, little brother. Are you going to call her?"

"Of course I'm going to call her! I was thinking of calling tomorrow to see if she'd like to get together. Do you think that's too soon?"

I wasn't really sure why I was suddenly reverting back to my teenage self who asked his big brother for advice about girls. Something about Bella just made me so uncertain. Realization suddenly hit: Bella was different because I never really cared too much about any of the other girls. If they had rejected me, I would have (and did, at times) simply moved on. With Bella, I cared. I really did not want to mess this up.

Emmett really was a great brother. He assured me that tomorrow would probably be fine, and even helped me brainstorm where I could take her. By the time we hung up, I was on cloud nine and looking forward to hearing Bella's voice in the morning.


	7. Saturday Fun

_Disclaimer: Still don't own twilight, just the story idea._

**BPOV**

Saturday.

I used to love Saturdays. Now, they were just days where I knew I wouldn't see Edward. I knew it was more than a little pathetic that my life seemed to revolve around those few moments when I would talk to him, but that's exactly what had happened. Last night's date simply served to compound that fact. There more I knew about him, the more I wanted to know, and the deeper I seemed to feel connected to him.

I stared at the ceiling, trying to will myself to get up and find something to occupy my day. I was just thinking about doing some yard work when I heard my phone ringing. I glanced at the clock. 9am might not be obscenely early to call someone, but it was a bit unusual for a Saturday morning, even for solicitors.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Bella? It's Edward." The smooth voice on the other end made my heart temporarily forget how to do its job.

"Hi Edward! How are you?" If I had been thinking, I would have wondered why he was calling so early, but I wasn't thinking. I was just happy that my day wasn't completely Edward-free after all.

"I'm fine, thank you. And you?"

"Fine. It's a Saturday, not much going on."

"Oh? No plans?" Was I imagining the hint of hope in his voice?

"Not unless you count catching up on all of my housework as plans," I teased.

"Well, as exciting as that sounds, I was wondering if you'd be interested in spending the day with me?" He tried to come off as playful and confident, but I could hear the barest trace of uncertainty underscoring his voice. I decided to be a bit devious.

"I don't know, vacuuming is a really exciting chore. Not to mention the ironing. You think you could compete with that?"

"Man, I don't know about that ironing. I mean, sure, I'll take on dusting and vacuuming any day, but ironing? Well, I guess that settles it."

"Settles what?" I was surprised at the turn of the conversation. Did he think I was serious? Maybe he really thought I was trying to let him down easy.

"It settles my plans for the day. If housework is that exciting for you, I guess I'll have to come over and help if that's the only way to see you."

The thought of Edward in my house, helping me with domestic chores, created an odd fluttering in my stomach.

"You want to come over and help me clean my house?"

"Sure, why not? I get to see you and show off how helpful I am, and later we can go get some lunch and you won't have the dread of a dirty house hanging over your head distracting you. It's a win-win situation all the way around." I swore I could hear the twinkle in his eye.

"You don't even know where I live."

"I will once you tell me."

I paused for a moment to see if he was teasing. "You're serious?"

"Absolutely." And he did sound serious at the moment.

I gave him my address and then began frantically running around the house. Sure, he was coming over to help me clean, but that didn't mean I was okay with him seeing my house look like a pigsty. Belatedly, I remembered that I was still in my pajamas, and I quickly threw on some comfortable clothes. I was just piling together the last few papers on my kitchen table when I heard a knock at my door.

Edward Cullen was standing in my doorway. Wow. This was the fourth version of him that I'd seen, and each one left me slightly breathless. I'd known he was attractive in his running clothes, gorgeous in his suit, and stunning in his date clothes from last night. Saturday Edward was my new favorite. Jeans and a tee shirt had never looked so appealing, and I was momentarily speechless.

He spoke first, breaking me out of my mental haze.

"So, put me to work. What can I do?"

"Um, do you have a preference?" I stepped back to let him in, feeling incredibly awkward. I was very unused to having men in my home, especially attractive men who wanted to clean my house.

"Well, I wasn't kidding about the ironing. I can do that if you'd like."

"Seriously? I would love you forever if you did that. I hate ironing!"

"Well aren't we the perfect pair," he smiled, following me to the laundry room.

The rest of the morning was very productive. After he finished the few shirts and pants that I owned that needed ironing, he went outside to work in the yard. By the time he was finished mowing the lawn and pulling up a few weeds, I'd dusted, vacuumed, done the dishes, and started a few loads of laundry.

He came back inside and gave an appreciative look around, staying near the door so as not to track dirt on the clean carpet.

"That didn't take too long now, did it?" I glanced at the clock and saw that he was right. It was only 12:30, and we were finished.

"So, now what? Should we do your house next?" I honestly didn't care much what we did as long as we were together. Even though we'd been working in different parts of the house all morning, just knowing that he was nearby gave me a feeling of contentment.

"Nah, we'll leave that for next weekend. Right now, I think we should both get cleaned up and then I'm taking you out to lunch like I promised."

"That sounds like a plan." Did this mean we already had a date for next weekend? I could get used to this being a regular occurrence.

"So, I'll pick you up in about an hour?"

"Sounds good." He gave a little smile and backed away towards his car. Sigh. I missed him already as he drove away. Then I remembered that he'd be coming back, and I only had an hour to get ready. I wheeled around and ran toward the shower, yanking off my shirt as I ran. An hour really wasn't that much time, after all.

**EPOV**

When Emmett had suggested finding out whatever Bella's plans were and seeing if I could join them, I don't think that he had domestic chores in mind. I couldn't have cared less, though. Any activity was that much better if Bella was nearby; today just proved it.

There was something about ironing clothes that I knew would at some point be wrapped around Bella that brought new meaning to the common task. I ironed my own shirts and pants all the time to keep them looking professional, but with Bella's I took special care to make sure that the job was flawless. It was the same when working in her yard. It was more than just wanting to impress her, it was an act of love.

Whoa. Wait a minute. An act of love? As I thought about it, I knew that I wasn't in love with her yet, but I also knew that I was well on my way.

I thought back to when she promised to love me forever for helping her. That was a promise I would most certainly do my best to collect on. A glance at my watch pulled me from my musings. It may not take me long to get ready, but I still needed to drive back to pick her up. I jumped in the shower and started getting ready.

It had only been forty-five minutes since I'd left when I was back on Bella's doorstep. I knew I was early, but I was just too eager to wait for those remaining fifteen minutes. Bella answered the door, looking as eager as I felt. Feeling chivalrous, I offered her my arm, smiling when she took it.

"Shall we?"

"We shall," she smiled up at me.

In the car, we discussed where we should go. We decided on a local pizzeria that was tucked away in the middle of town. It was a small restaurant, but it had good food and it shouldn't be too crowded. We decided to try the Mediterranean pizza, and grabbed a booth while waiting for our order.

Lunch today was much like dinner last night. The conversation flowed, and I felt myself falling deeper for her with each new part of her heart that she shared with me. I found myself opening up in new ways as well. Everything in me yearned for her to know me, and to know her in return.

It wasn't until the pizzeria started getting ready for the dinner crowd that I fully became aware of our surroundings again. A look at the wall clock said that we had been sitting there for nearly three hours just talking. Bella looked as astonished as I was when I told her how long we had been talking.

"So, do you want to go for a walk? Stretch the legs a little?"

"Sounds like a plan," she smiled and slid out of the booth. I opened the door for her, catching a whiff of her strawberry shampoo as she passed. Once outside, I hesitantly took her hand as we headed towards the park, relieved when she squeezed my hand back in return.


	8. Installation

_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight_

**EPOV**

Tuesday morning was here before I knew it, and Emmett and I were preparing to begin installing the Volturi system at the Hale offices. We had only been waiting a few moments before the secretary summoned us inside. We followed her to a large office in the opposite direction from where I knew Ms. Hale's office was from my last visit. There was a blond male seated in the office, working on some paperwork when we were ushered inside.

"Hello, I'm Jasper Hale. I'm so sorry I was unable to meet you last time you were here. Please, have a seat."

We sat, and made the introductions, explaining what how we were planning on doing the installation. He seemed surprised and a bit impressed that the leaders of the company would be setting up his system personally.

Jasper got up from his desk, allowing Emmett access to his computer to begin installation, while he and I talked about setting up training time for his staff. We were just finalizing the schedule when his office door opened and his sister walked in.

"Hey, Jazz. Ah, so here you are, Mr. Cullen. You know, I might be a bit insulted that you haven't stopped by my office yet to say hello." She gave me a flirtations wink as I gave her a polite smile. This might be difficult.

Suddenly, she seemed to notice that there was another person in the room. I could see her eyes widen at the sight of my bear of a brother hunched over a computer, staring at the screen. "Are you going to introduce me?"

"Ms. Hale, this is my brother, Emmett Cullen. Emmett, this is Ms. Hale."

"Rosalie, please," she purred, holding out her hand. Emmett barely glanced at her, giving her hand a brief shake and a mumbled greeting before turning back to the screen. I laughed inwardly. If nothing else, my brother had a single-track mind and was not easily distracted. I could see the flustered surprise on her face that he had not immediately started drooling over her, and for a brief moment I felt bad for her. That emotion disappeared as a look of determination settled over her features.

Let the games begin.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The next week seemed to settle into a pattern. Emmett and I would arrive at the Hale offices early in the morning. I would set up in the conference room and begin training on the system for small groups of staff and Emmett would go from computer to computer installing the new database. Jasper would float around the office, making sure that everything was going smoothly, and Rosalie would come up with new ways to attempt to get Emmett's attention.

On Wednesday, Rosalie came to the office wearing a very low cut blouse and would lean over every time she talked to Em, which was often as she was constantly thinking of some question or concern she had about the system. Emmett would listen carefully and answer her politely, but he never really looked at her.

She changed up her game on Thursday and wore a mini skirt. She then proceeded to sit on his desk whenever she was talking to him, or anyone near him. Again, the efforts were in vain. Emmett only had eyes for computer codes.

Friday was when she became even more assertive, finding casual ways to touch his arm or shoulder as she was passing or talking. This garnered the biggest reaction, as Emmett would give a slight smile whenever he felt her hand. It was not much, but it was the most headway she had made so far.

I told Bella about Rosalie's attempts as we talked each night, to her amusement. We both found it amazing that my brother could be so completely oblivious. I didn't think he was intentionally ignoring her, just that he was so unaware of her attempts.

As I thought about the stories I planned to tell Bella tonight. Never had I been so anxious for the weekend. Doing the training kept me at the office, so I was no longer able to run by the school each day. I contented myself with calling her and talking on the phone every night, but I missed seeing her face. Now that it was finally Friday, I planned to take her out to dinner, and I was already excited to spend time with her.

The weekend was much the same as the previous one had been. Friday was date night. Saturday was cleaning day—though we cleaned my house this time (hey, fair is fair!), followed by going out for lunch, and Sunday was spent lazing around watching movies and talking. I knew that a few more weekends with this routine and I would be head over heels in love with the girl, if I weren't already.

When Monday came, I found myself getting caught up in conversation with Rosalie during the lunch break. We had been talking about reception areas and how they were the first impressions people received and how they gave insight into a company. I mentioned my surprise at seeing Car and Driver magazines and asked if they were Jasper's.

"Oh, no, those are mine." She gave a nonchalant flick of her hair as she answered.

"Really? I never would have pegged you for a car girl."

"It's the heels right?" She gave a quick wink. "Actually, I love cars. I especially love tinkering with the engine."

Emmett walked in to grab a cup of coffee and heard the last bit of Rosalie's statement. For the first time, it was like he actually saw her as a person, and not just a co-owner of a company.

"You work on car engines?" he asked.

"Sure do. Why do you need some work done on your engine?" The sultry side of her personality, which had been missing during our conversation, made a sudden reappearance. This time, Emmett responded to the innuendo, and started sputtering. I refilled my coffee cup and abandoned him, quietly chuckling at him. Oh yeah, Bella and I would definitely be laughing about this tonight.


	9. Angela was right after all

_Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. Never have, never will._

**BPOV**

"Okay, Bella. Spill."

I attempted to portray a look of innocence before looking up from my sandwich to answer Angela.

"Spill what?" Her raised eyebrow informed me that my attempted nonchalance was ineffective.

"You know very well 'what.' It seems like every word out of your mouth lately has to do with Edward. You are constantly smiling for no reason, and you keep staring at your phone while you're on break like you are expecting a text at any moment. Now, what exactly is going on with you guys? And don't even try to pull the 'we're just friends' card because I won't buy it."

Darn those stares of hers! They made me feel like one of her students trying to pull the wool over her eyes. I knew from experience that staring wars always ended in her favor, so I took a breath and gave in.

"Honestly Angela, I don't know. We've never really talked about it. I mean, we've been talking just about every day and we see each other during the weekend, but we never really said what we were to each other. I know he likes me, but other than that, I have no idea." Admitting this brought all of the feelings of insecurity I had been trying to repress to the front of my mind. It was true. Every time we talked, the conversation flowed so smoothly that there were never really any breaks to bring up a new discussion point. Instead, the topics ebbed and flowed naturally.

The grain of the table was suddenly fascinating, so it was a bit of a shock when Angela's voice snapped me out of my musings.

"You have got to be kidding me. Are you really saying you have no idea how he feels about you? Bella, are you blind? The boy lights up around you!" Her voice gentled as she placed a hand on my arm. "Just talk to him. You already know the truth. Talk it out."

Patting my arm, she shifted the focus to banter about the new math curriculum. It was the bane of teaching in California that teachers were given no choice in their textbooks, but the weather helped make up for it. I smiled at her as I joined in, silently thanking her for giving me some time to recover and think.

Tonight, I would definitely be having a little talk with a certain Mr. Cullen. I just hoped that I wouldn't chicken out.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Angela's words were still on my mind that night as I called Edward. Despite my nervousness, however, I couldn't stop the feeling of contentment at hearing his voice when he picked up.

"Hey you."

"Hey yourself. How was Rosalie today?"

His laugh warned me that a good story was on its way. I settled back on my couch and waited to hear the latest development in the 'Emmett and Rosalie Saga.' Honestly, it was better than a soap opera most days!

"You will never believe what happened today. So, I was talking to Rosalie in the break room and I asked her about those car magazines that I saw in their reception area. She told me that they were hers and then starts to go into how much she loves working on cars. That's when Emmett walked in, and I'm sure I've told you about how he gets whenever anything that has to do with machines are mentioned. He overheard that she's a mechanic of sorts, and all of a sudden it was like he was seeing her for the first time. Seriously, Bella, I do not think my brother even knew that she was blond, he was so oblivious." He paused as we both chuckled at the memories of her repeated attempts to gain Emmett's attention and how all of them had failed. "So, anyway, now he is finally aware of the fact that a beautiful woman is in front of him, and she is blatantly flirting with him. I don't think the poor guy knew what hit him."

I chuckled at the image in my head. I stall haven't met Emmett, but I have seen pictures, so I could somewhat imagine him looking dumbstruck in front of a beautiful woman who lacked all forms of subtlety.

"So, do you think they'll get together, now that he knows who she is?"

"I don't know. I guess it all depends on whether or not the drive is still there after we're done installing Volturi. We only have about another week left. I guess we'll know then."

"You'll be done with Volturi in another week?" Anticipation curled in my stomach at the thought of finally seeing him on his morning jogs again. Since he had started with the Hale project, I was only able to see him on weekends. It was one thing to talk on the phone every night, and another entirely to see his face as he smiled or laughed.

"Hopefully. I've missed my runs."

"Me too. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too." I heard a heavy sigh came from the other end of the line, followed by a pause.

"Hey, I have an idea. Would you like to come watch a movie? I know it's a school night, but it's only 7:00. We could order a pizza?" I smiled at the hope in his voice.

"That sounds good. Can I bring anything?"

"Nah, I think I have everything. Unless, of course, you want to bring some of your famous cookies?"

"Hmm. Well, I am always telling my kids that they need to share. On the other hand, they are really good cookies…" I pretended to deliberate.

I could practically hear the pouting, even though I couldn't see his face.

"Yeah, I'll bring the cookies. I'm getting them right now and I'll be at your door in a few minutes."

"See you soon."

"Can't wait."

A few minutes later, Edward was opening his door for me to come inside. We quickly settled in to watch a classic movie, snacking on the pizza that was delivered just after I arrived. Over the last few weeks, we had discovered many things that we had in common, including a love for Mel Brooks movies, like the one we were currently watching.

We were reaching my favorite part of the movie, when Blinkin was attempting to be the look out, when my eyes began to feel very heavy. I was already leaning against Edward's side, and was barely aware of my head's slow descent onto his shoulder. Just before I drifted off, the realization of how right it felt flickered through my mind.

The next thing I knew, my shoulder was being gently yet persistently nudged. Reluctantly coming back to the land of the living, I opened my eyes, only to find a pair of bright green ones staring back at me.

"Bella, time to wake up. Come on, honey, you need to go home so you can sleep."

I frowned at the thought of moving when I was so comfortable, but I knew he was right. Slowly unwinding my body, I stood up and stretched.

"Well, I guess I'll be off, then." I started heading for my keys, only to be met by his concerned face.

"Are you sure you're awake enough to drive?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." My sudden and irrepressible yawn was not helping my argument any, but at the moment, all I really wanted was to be able to go to bed and sleep.

"Okay, if you're sure. Can you do me a favor and call me or send me a text so I know you got in safe?"

I rewarded his concern with a sleepy smile. "Sure. I'll see you later. Goodnight, Edward." Without even thinking about what I was doing, I leaned over to kiss him goodbye. It felt so automatic that I didn't even realize what I had done at first. So far, we had only held hands and kissed on the cheek. I was shocked that I had been the one to initiate our first kiss. Even more surprised that it had felt so natural.

His wide eyes registered his own shock at my actions. It was the first moment of awkwardness that we had felt, but it didn't last long. A heartbeat later, Edward recovered and, cupping my cheek in his hand, leaned down to place his own chaste kiss on my lips.

"Goodnight. Call me when you get in."

Somehow, I managed to make it out the door and into my car. Staying awake was no longer the problem as the tingling sensation traveled from my lips to the rest of my body. I replayed the moment over and over during the short drive home.

Pulling into my driveway, I dialed his now familiar number as I headed inside. As I waited for him to pick up, a thought crossed my mind.

I guess Angela was right after all.

**AN: Yay, they finally kissed! Okay, so I am really deliberating the next chapter, and I'm asking for some help from my readers. Should Emmett and Rosalie double on a date with Edward and Bella, or should they go on a date with Jasper and Alice (since they haven't done much in this story yet)? Review and let me know!**


	10. Conferences

**EPOV**

The ceiling above my bed was fascinating. I had never really noticed it before, but now, unable to sleep, the bumps and divots held as much intrigue to me as the Rosetta stone had to anthropologists. And it made just as much sense.

She kissed me. Bella Swan had kissed me. To say that I was surprised would be a tremendous understatement. I had dreamed about the moment of our first kiss since the start of the school year. I had imagined a romantic scene, a perfect ending to a perfect evening. I couldn't find it in me to be disappointed, though. The reality of it being natural and unplanned somehow seemed more meaningful than if there had been a big production leading up to it. One last thought flickered through my mind as I gradually slipped from consciousness. No, I was far from disappointed.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The door had barely clicked closed behind me when my arm was grabbed and pulled along with the rest of me into the nearest office. It had all happened so fast that it took a moment before I realized that it was in the vice-like grip of my brother.

"Em? What's going on?" His wild-eyed expression was a bit unnerving, especially when it was on the face of my normally calm sibling.

"Ed, you have to help me. She is everywhere! What, does she have, a tracking device on me or something?"

I didn't really need to ask who the "she" was that he was referring to, but I simply couldn't help myself.

"Who is everywhere? What are you talking about?" I looked at him innocently and slightly confused, while on the inside I was smirking.

"That, that _Hale_ woman! Everywhere I go, she's there! I get a cup of coffee, she's there. I work on a computer, she comes and sits on the desk. Why is she following me? I talked to her one time about cars, and now she never leaves me alone!"

"Seriously? You've just now realized that she has been semi-stalking you since we started the project two weeks ago?"

That brought him up short.

"Really? I thought it just started two days ago."

I love my brother, I really do, but the boy is just so blind sometimes. I watched his face as he started to comprehend the new information. At first, he was surprised. Then, as realization sank in, he started to smile. The smile was followed by a frown of confusion.

"But, why? Why is she following me around?"

"Don't ask me. You're not my type." My snarky comment earned me a playful punch in the arm.

"Look, that fact is, she likes you. I don't know _why_, but she likes you."

"So . . . what should I do?"

"You're asking me? The guy you teased endlessly for taking so long getting up my nerve to talk to Bella? What do I know?" I couldn't help winking to let him know I was semi-teasing. I still did need to get him back for all of his remarks, but that would have to wait.

"Just talk to her, Em. Find out if you have anything in common. And if you like her, ask her out. Simple, see?"

"Yeah. Simple. Sure, I'll just go up to the most beautiful woman I've ever seen and form coherent speech. Nothing hard about that."

He was still muttering to himself as he walked distractedly out of the office, leaving me behind to stare at him in amusement. The most beautiful woman he'd ever seen? Sure, Em had dated a few girls before, but I had never heard him refer to anyone as beautiful before. Cars and computers, yes. Women, no.

I was still chuckling silently as followed him out of the office. A glance over at my shoulder showed my brother cautiously looking down each row of cubicles as he made his way to his next workspace.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

My midday, I'd nearly forgotten my morning conversation with Emmett. I was on my way to grab a coffee refill when I heard my brother's booming laugh. Wait, my brother? Laughing at work? Since when did he loosen up in a client's office space? Retracing my steps, I caught sight of him just as another laugh escaped. Rosalie was no longer sitting on his desk. Now she was leaning against his chair as he showed her something on the computer screen in front of him.

This was. . .new.

What in the world were they looking at that could get my straight-laced brother laughing so much? I reached the desk just in time to see an explosion being set off under a car—only to have the car seemingly unscathed.

"Unbelievable. Man would I love to have this car!"

"Yeah, get in line." Rosalie patted his shoulder consolingly as she directed her attention back to the clip.

"What the heck? Is that a bomb-proof car?" Both of them spun around at my question, Emmett looking an odd mixture of pride for having a conversation with the beautiful blonde and embarrassment at getting caught by his little brother. Rosalie recovered first.

"It's a clip of the Mercedes Guard. They say it can protect against anything."

"Ed, this car is amazing! It's bulletproof, bombproof; it's probably even missal-proof! Can you imagine driving around in one of those things?"

"Em, why would you _need_ one of those cars? Are we a part of some nefarious underground dealings that I'm unaware of?" At this point, I was trying to choke back laughter at the exuberance on his face. I hadn't seen him this lit up since he first got into computers in high school.

"It has nothing to do with _need_, it's just a really nice car."

"Car? It's a tank!"

"But a good looking tank. See, just like me!" He retorted, winking at Rosalie as she smiled down at him.

My curiosity abated, I left them to their flirting. Jasper was in the break room as I refilled my cup.

"So, our siblings seem to be getting along pretty nicely."

"Yeah, my sister does have a way of drawing guys in. He seems to be handling himself okay, though."

We started chatting about the progress of the Volturi installation and eventually wound up talking more personally.

"So, Jazz, who's this Alice you keep talking about?" It was as if I had said the magic words, because his polite smile suddenly grew.

"She's my fiancée. We've been together for about two years now."

"Congratulations. When is the big day?"

"We haven't decided yet. How about you? Are you married?"

"No. As a matter of fact, I just started dating someone."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Her name is Bella. She's a teacher at Meyer Elementary."

"Nice."

With that, we slipped back into talking about more mundane topics, until just as we were getting ready to head back to work.

"So, you think Volturi will be finished by the end of the week?"

"If Em and I keep on track and everything keeps going as smoothly as it has been, yes, we should be done either late Thursday or early Friday.'

"Well, I think that calls for a celebration. What do you say? Us, our girls, and those crazy siblings of ours? We could go out to dinner."

"I think that sounds like a plan. I'll run it by Bella and Em."

"Okay then." He saluted me with his coffee mug and then turned around to head back to his office. Thinking ahead to Friday, I felt a small coil of anticipation. Bella would finally meet my world.

**AN- Sorry it's taken so long. Flus are nasty. Hope you enjoy the new installation. Thanks for the great ideas I got from the reviews! And if you didn't review, shame on you! Hit the button and type! ;)**


	11. Meet the Crew

**BPOV**

I was so lost in refining the lesson plans I was working on that I barely registered the sound of my phone ringing next to me. I mechanically answered it, until the voice on the other end grabbed my full attention.

"How's the most beautiful teacher in the world tonight?"

"Can you think of a fun and exciting way to teach five-year-olds about numbers?"

"Um…relate it to cookies? That's what I always wanted when I was a kid."

"Hmm, cookies. Not bad, Cullen. I knew there was a reason why I kept you around. Okay, so what's up? Anything new in the Emmett and Rosalie telenovela?"

"Actually, that's one of the reasons why I was calling."

"You mean you didn't just call to hear the sound of my voice? I'm sad now." I pretended to pout a bit.

"Hey, the sound of your beautiful voice is just a bonus. So, you will not believe what happened to me this morning." He went on to describe his conversation with Emmett, the resulting flirting, and setting a date with Jasper and the group.

"Is that okay? I wanted to check to see if you'd be comfortable before I confirm plans. I think you'd have a lot of fun, though. Jasper is a great guy, and I'd like you to meet Emmett." His concern warmed my heart. It was nice having someone who was so considerate.

"Of course. I'd love to meet Emmett and Jasper. I feel like I know them already from all of the stories that you've been telling. I'm even curious to meet Rosalie. I need to see if your description skills are accurate or if you exaggerate. This will be a good litmus test."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Friday was here before I knew it. I had actually had time to fit in a quick shopping trip with Angela to find an appropriate dress for the dinner. Normally, I wouldn't have bothered, but normally I wasn't on a group date with the described bombshell known as Rosalie Hale. When Edward came to pick me up, I was ready in a flattering blue dress that was just a touch more daring than I was accustomed to. The light in his eyes rewarded the effort when I answered the door.

"You look stunning." He breathed after kissing hello. "I'm torn between showing you off and keeping you all to myself."

"Oh no, you are not getting out of buying me dinner that easily, mister. Come on, I'm all dressed up and ready to go." I grabbed his hand and tugged him towards the car.

We were the first couple to arrive at the restaurant, with Rosalie and Emmett arriving just a few minutes later. I knew who they were the moment they stepped inside, even before they started heading towards our table.

Emmett was huge. Obviously, Edward was not the only member of the family to take physical health seriously as Emmett showed clear signs of being very familiar with weight lifting. Rosalie looked like a 50's pin-up girl with perfectly styled blonde hair flowing in gentle waves. The tight red dress she wore left little to the imagination, but somehow remained on the tasteful side.

"So, this is the teacher who turned Edward's head." Emmett skipped right past the pleasantries.

"Yup, that's me. You must be the big brother. It's nice to finally meet you."

Emmett pulled out a chair for Rosalie, surprising both her and his brother, who quirked an eyebrow at him. From what he had told me, Emmett was not typically known for being attentive to women, so the uncharacteristically chivalrous move was very out of character. Apparently he liked Rosalie more than he had let on.

Once seated, we easily fell into conversation. Both Emmett and Rosalie seemed a bit nervous at first, but it seemed to wear off after a few minutes of talking. We had been sitting there for about fifteen minutes before the last couple headed towards our table.

I knew the tall blonde man to be Jasper from Edward's description. The petite woman next to him, I assumed to be Alice. Jasper had a very kind face, almost like the face that should belong to a therapist or a priest. With one look, you wanted to trust him with your innermost secrets. I was sure that served him well in business. Alice's hair was just as carefully styled as Rosalie's, but with very different results. Where Rosalie's had been classically styled, Alice's was much more modern looking with short flirty wisps flying away from her face, accentuating her delicate features.

"Sorry we're late. We had a bit of a late start." Jasper apologized as he reached our table and pulled out a chair for Alice.

"What he means is that he had to sit there and wait while I tried on five different sets of clothing." Alice amended. Her frank manner immediately made me like her.

After introductions, Alice took control of the conversation by asking how Edward and I met. We both looked at each other to decide who should answer. I nodded towards him, letting him go ahead.

"Well, it's a bit of an odd story actually. For a few years now, I've been running past Bella's school everyday on my route. At the beginning of the year, I noticed a gorgeous teacher who would be standing near the fence everyday. Eventually, I worked up enough nerve and stopped to talk to her. We got along great, and we've been talking ever since."

"That's such a sweet story. So, Bella, what did you think when you first met Edward?"

"Well, I'd seen him jog by every day, and I always thought he looked kind of cute." Here, Edward quirked his eyebrow at being 'kind of' cute. I playfully nudged his shoulder and continued. "Then, one day he stopped to 'tie his shoe,' even though they weren't untied. We started talking, and that was that. I was a goner."

"You knew that my shoes weren't untied?"

"Of course. You're talking to a kindergarten teacher here. Checking shoelaces is second nature to me."

I had to hand it to Edward, he actually blushed a bit at learning that his sneaky maneuver was not as sneaky as previously believed.

"So lice, how did you and Jasper meet?" I was truly interested, but I also wanted to spare Edward the attention. He quietly took my hand under the table in thanks. I small thrill of electricity ran up my arm when he did. I briefly wondered if there would ever be a day when my body ceased to react to him in such a way. I hoped not.

"Well, Jazz and I met about two years ago. I was at a party for a client and a very obnoxious guy was pestering me. Jazz recognized a damsel in distress and came over and talked to me, completely cutting out the other guy until he got the hint. He's been my prince charming ever since." She turned to gaze dreamily at her fiancée as he bent down to give her a quick kiss.

The rest of the dinner was filled with comfortable conversation. I ventured to guess that this was simply the first of many more gatherings of the six of us. Before we left, we all exchanged phone numbers so that we could keep in touch.

When Edward dropped me off at my house, he paused before getting out of the car and held onto my hand. He seemed oddly contemplative. I wondered why he would be so serious after such an enjoyable evening.

"I just wanted to say thank you for coming tonight." He finally broke the silence. "It meant a lot to be able to introduce my brother to you."

"Your welcome. It meant a lot to me too." I squeezed his hand. "Do you want to come inside? We can watch a movie. And, I made cookies yesterday."

"Well, okay. But only because you made cookies." He teased. In a flash, he was opening my door and walking with me up the driveway.

We settled on an action/adventure film. As usual, I fell asleep about halfway through. The next thing I knew, strong arms were lifting me and I was being carried to my room. I vaguely felt the covers being pulled over me and a light kiss being placed on my forehead. As I drifted back to my dreams, I thought I heard him whisper that he loved me as he closed the door behind him to head home.

That night was filled with beautiful dreams staring my favorite green-eyed prince.


	12. Pizza and Dreams

**BPOV**

"So how was date night?" Angela barely waited for me to sit down in the break room on Monday before she pounced on me for details. She knew how nervous I had been about meeting Edward's brother and friends, so the question was not unexpected.

"It went really well, actually. I really like Emmett; he's like a giant teddy bear. He looks so scary because he's huge, but he's a really sweet guy. Rosalie was exactly what I expected; a beautiful man-eater. Even she turned out pretty nice. And Jasper is such a gentleman. You should have seen how sweet he is with his fiancée. And Alice is a ball of energy! Man, can that girl talk!"

"So you had fun then?"

"A lot of fun. Then, after dinner, Edward took me home. He acted kind of strange in the car, though. I don't think he's introduced many girls to his brother before. It seemed like it was a big deal for him for some reason."

"Well, that's not too surprising, is it? You've said that he tends to compartmentalize his life. He probably doesn't let those two areas intersect much."

I thought about that for a minute. "You're right. I hadn't thought of that. Now there's your psychology minor kicking in!" I teased her.

"So, what happened after dinner?" Angela asked with a playful glint in her eye.

"We watched a movie and then I guess I fell asleep because the next thing I knew, I was waking up in bed."

"He tucked you in? That's so sweet!"

"Yeah, it was." I was barely able to respond as the whisper of a memory flitted through my mind. It was as if something had happened that night that seemed important that I couldn't seem to remember. Had he said something as he was tucking me in? Oh well. I couldn't remember, and it was probably not worth dwelling on.

"So, how was your date with Eric? Date number three, right?" I decided that it was Angela's turn in the hot seat for a while.

"It was fine. He seems like a good guy, I guess."

"A good guy you guess? Uh oh. What happened?"

"I don't know. He's everything I should be looking for in a guy. He's sweet and cute and charming and we have a lot in common, but…there's just no…spark."

"Do you want my honest opinion?"

"Please."

"You need to let him down easy. He may be a great guy, but if there's nothing there, then it's not fair for either of you. You deserve so much more than that, Angela. You deserve a guy who can melt your insides with a glance, who makes you impatient for the next time you get to see him. Someone who makes you feel complete, and whole, and beautiful. You deserve so much better than a lukewarm date that couldn't even generate enough electricity to power a CFL bulb."

Angela just stared at me for a moment.

"Wow. Is that how Edward makes you feel?"

I paused for a moment as I realized that I had indeed been basing my remarks on the feelings so recently invoked in me.

"Yeah, he does." I lost myself for a moment in my dreamy state before snapping out of it at the memory that I still had a friend in need here on earth. "And there's a guy who will do the same thing to you, too. Trust me, he is out there. You just need to be a bit choosier about the duds you go out with in the meantime." I teasingly nudged her to emphasize my last point.

"Hey now! Eric is not that bad."

"Sure sure. Not bad compared to what? A ball of lint?"

"Well we can't all have dazzling princes now can we?"

"Yes you can," I responded soberly. "A man in love is always dazzling. When that lucky guy finds you, he'll dazzle so much he'll glow."

"Thanks Bella." She leaned over for a brief hug. I'd meant what I said. Someday, she'd meet a guy who made her as happy as Edward made me. I knew that we had only been dating for a few weeks, but they were the best weeks of my life. At least, they were the best weeks of my life…so far.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

The day had finally finished, and I was setting up the room for the next day when I caught a motion out of the corner of my eye. Glancing over, I saw Edward leaning against the doorway looking around the room.

"So this is the world of Miss Swan? Nice. Very nice."

My earlier conversation with Angela came back as I was flooded with all of the feelings that I had earlier described to her. He was halfway to the middle of the room before his wandering eyes finally rested on me.

"Hey there." He said softly, coming closer until he was right in front of me.

I managed to breathe out "hey" before his lips silenced my own.

After a moment, I pulled back, my mind beginning to remember that he was not normally inside my classroom kissing me. "What are you doing here?"

"I was in the neighborhood, and I thought you might want to go get some dinner," he teased as he tucked a tendril behind my ear.

"You do realize that it's only four in the afternoon, right?"

"I know, but I couldn't wait." I raised my eyebrow in disbelief, despite the pleased smile that I could not keep off my face. He caught sight of my expression and amended his plan.

"Okay, how about a movie and then dinner?" His eyes looked so hopeful, and I hated to disappoint him, but I knew that I had to.

"Edward, I could not think of a better way to spend the evening, but I seriously need to get some work done tonight." My own disappointment was mirrored in his eyes until a new thought came to mind. "I have an idea, though. We could probably do some work together and then have dinner later. I'm sure you probably have a lot that has been backed up with the whole Volturi project. What do you say? Study date?"

He quirked his eyebrow at the term, but I was gratified to see the disappointment shift to interest in his eyes. "A study date? You mean like college?"

"Why not? We both have work to do. So the only question now is your place or mine?" I added the last bit with a flirtatious wink.

"How about my place. I already have my computer set up, and that way I can cook for you."

Shocked surprise took over my features. "You cook, too?"

"Well, I don't have much choice, seeing as how I live alone," he teased. "Take out gets old very fast. Besides, it will be nice to cook for more than just myself. What do you say? Sound good?"

"I think it sounds amazing. Let me finish up here and I will meet you at your place in about twenty minutes?"

"Sounds like a plan. I'll see you then." He gave me one last kiss before backing towards the door.

**EPOV**

Twenty minutes. In twenty minutes, the girl of my dreams would be back in my house. Expecting dinner.

I frowned at the last thought. Cooking was not my strongest area of expertise. I cooked enough to survive, and even managed to make some stuff that tasted pretty good, but I couldn't think of a single thing that I could make that would be good enough for Bella.

Heading into the kitchen, I pulled out the one cookbook that was there. The nearly pristine condition revealed that it was not a book that was often used. It would not even have a place in my house at all except that it was a housewarming gift from my mother when I first moved out on my own. She had warned that one day I would be very grateful that I knew how to cook. It looked as if that day was now.

I flipped through the pages, trying to find something that was simple yet might impress Bella. If it could be made with ingredients that I already had on hand, it would be even better. My eye paused on the recipe for homemade pizza. It looked like a simple enough recipe and a glance at the preparation time revealed that it would be perfect for what we had planned. I could start the dough now and then we could bake the pizza when we were ready to eat. An image of Bella in my kitchen working alongside me as we made the pizza danced through my mind. That settled it. I knew exactly what I was making for dinner.

I had just formed the dough and set it to rise when I heard her knock at the door. After an all too short kiss hello, we each settled down to our respective work assignments. At first, working alongside Bella proved to be very difficult. She was apparently one of those people who would throw themselves into their work. I could always tell how she felt about her process based on her little noises of approval, confusion, or derision. The noises, while cute and incredibly attractive, made focusing on my own work nearly impossible.

Taking a deep breath, I honed all of my training into ignoring my surroundings and focusing on the task at hand. It took some time, but eventually I became so absorbed in what I was doing that I nearly forgot that I was not alone. I became so unobservant that I jumped a bit from surprise when I felt her hand on my shoulder.

"Hey there, Brainiac. I thought this date came with some food." She winked to show that she was teasing.

"So it does. I thought we'd make a pizza for tonight. Do you want to help?"

I took the sudden light in her eyes to mean that she was indeed interested, so I took her hand and led her into the kitchen. Seating her on a bar stool at the counter, I proceeded to begin rolling out the dough in preparation for our meal.

After deciding on the toppings and setting them on the counter, I caught her sneaking a few bites here and there.

"Hey!" she shot me an accusing glare after I lightly slapped her hand as she was reaching for another pepperoni.

"Stop that. You'll spoil your appetite." I admonished her.

We continued to banter until I put the pizza in the oven and set the timer. "Now all we have to do is wait."

"Hmm, I wonder what we can do for twenty minutes." She pretended to ponder.

"I have a few ideas," I whispered huskily as I pulled her in for a slow kiss.

We continued to hold each other until the timer pulled us out of the private world we had created with each other. Pulling out our meal from the oven, we helped ourselves and carried our plates into the family room to watch a movie.

Predictably, Bella fell asleep about an hour into the movie. She was leaning against my shoulder, her body slumped and her head nestled under my neck. I knew that I should wake her up and send her home as we both had to work in the morning, but I couldn't resist holding on to her for a while longer.

After a while, I started to hear murmurings. At first I thought that she was waking up, but soon realized that she was talking in her sleep.

"Mmm…walking feet…raise a quiet hand…Jacob, wait your turn…"

She must be dreaming about her students. I smiled at the evidence of her tender heart, placing a soft kiss on her head. I was about to shift her so that she was lying on the couch when her next words alerted me that her dreams had shifted.

"Edward."

She was dreaming about me? I subconsciously held her closer, silently begging her to keep talking.

"Mmm…Edward…I love you."

She loved me? Even though I was not in doubt of her feelings, we had not yet said those words to each other. Well, I had said them, but she was unconscious at the time.

"I love you too, Bella." I whispered, tucking her closer. Someday soon, I promised myself, I would gather the courage to tell her while she was awake. Soon. But for right now, I would enjoy the moment. She loved me. She loved me.


	13. I Love You, Too

**Recess—Chapter 13 **

**BPOV**

At first, I thought that I was on a boat somewhere. In my dreams, Edward and I were sailing towards a private island on a getaway trip. It was so pleasant that I was very reluctant to wake up. Eventually, I could resist the pull towards consciousness no longer. What was waiting for me when I awoke, however, was even better than the beautiful dreamland I had just left.

My head was resting against Edward's chest, both of us holding on to each other's waist. As my senses began wakening, I realized that we were still on his couch, and that he was asleep against me. I could feel his breath on the top of my head, as if he had fallen asleep with his nose buried in my hair.

I tried to pull back slightly so that I could more easily look into his face, but his arm tightened around my waist, holding me in place. I nearly laughed at the little frown that suddenly appeared on his face at my attempt to leave him.

I could have happily remained where I was for the rest of the day, but my stomach had other ideas, as it began to grumble for some breakfast. Cautiously removing his arm, I eased myself off of the couch and headed into the kitchen. I could have settled for cold cereal, but I decided to reward his efforts from last night's dinner by making blueberry waffles.

By the time I had prepared the batter and cooked the first batch, Edward was starting to stir. Prepping a plate for him, I took it into the family room to wake him up.

"Morning, sunshine," I pressed a gentle kiss on his cheek as I sat back down next to him. He instinctively sought my warmth and pulled me closer, still refusing to open his eyes.

"Nu uh. Don't want to get up," he mumbled sleepily. I smiled and playfully nudged him with my elbow.

"Come on, now. Time to get up. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and most importantly of all, your waffles are getting cold."

All that it took was the word 'waffles' for his eyes to snap open.

"You made waffles?" He followed my eyes to where I had set the plate on the coffee table, a wide grin splitting his face. "Aww, thanks sweetie." He punctuated his thanks by planting a quick kiss on my cheek.

"No problem," I handed him his plate as I grabbed my own and settled back in to my seat. "Sorry about falling asleep on you last night. You should have woken me up and sent me home." Secretly, I loved that he had been the first thing I saw in the morning, but the prudent side of me knew that I should have gone back home instead of staying the whole night.

"I know, but you just looked so peaceful, I couldn't bring myself to wake you up." He was smiling, but I saw something in his face that told me he was holding something back.

"What is it?" I drew my eyebrows together.

"What do you mean?" He was now focusing all of his attention on cutting his waffle into bite-sized pieces.

"What are you not saying?" I wondered why he was being evasive; it was unlike him.

"It's nothing. I was just thinking about something that you…said…last night."

Now I was really confused. I ran the previous evening through my mind and I couldn't think of anything that stood out that he would be this embarrassed about.

"What did I say?"

"Well, you weren't exactly awake when you said it," he mumbled.

I mentally slapped my forehead. I'd been sleep talking again. "Ugh, what did I say this time?" I groaned.

"Not much. You mentioned some kids in your class."

"And…?"

"You may have said my name."

"Great," I grumbled. "What embarrassing thing did I say this time?"

He set his plate down and looked me straight in the eyes. 'You said you loved me."

My eyes widened. "I did?" He nodded. I closed my eyes and took a calming breath before returning to his gaze. I was on the verge of making light of the whole situation when something in his look changed my mind. He looked…hopeful. Swallowing, I summoned my courage. "That's probably because I do."

The hope in his face flickered and grew. "You do?" he confirmed.

"Yes. I love you, Edward." If I had thought that I had seen him smile before, it was nothing to the way his face looked at my words. His eyes were brighter than I had ever seen them, and his moth was stretched so widely that I worried that it would actually cause his face to split.

"I love you too, Bella," and then my lips were claimed by his.

Eventually, we would have to come back down to earth. Eventually, I would have to go home and we would each go on with our responsibilities. Eventually, we would have to stop to breath. Eventually could wait. The present was far too blissful.

**AN Apologies for taking so long to update--I got really caught up in the new story I've been working on. This story is just about finished; I think it will be just one or two more chapters to wrap it up. Hope you've enjoyed reading it. Blessings!**


	14. Forever

**Recess**

**Chapter 14—Forever**

**BPOV**

I had never been so nervous in my entire life. I was moments away from making the biggest step I would ever make. Within the hour, I would be married to Edward Cullen.

Pacing inside the bridal suite, I thought back to Edward's romantic proposal seven months previous.

*****

The mild summer evening was too lovely to stay inside, and Edward urged me to join him on a walk after dinner. Not needing much cajoling, I slipped on my shoes and followed him. As we walked hand in hand, we made the usual small talk filled with insignificant events that had happened throughout our day. I was not paying attention to where we were going, and so I was surprised when he suddenly stopped. Looking around, I realized that we were outside my school, directly behind the spot I normally stood to talk to him during recess.

Questioningly, I looked up into the green eyes that I adored. Tenderly brushing the hair out of my face, he began the most beautiful speech I had ever heard. He told me how much he adored me and how I completed him. And then he knelt, still holding my hand and without breaking eye contact, and said the most beautiful five words I had ever heard.

"Bella, will you marry me?"

I could hardly see his face, as my tears blurred his image. Unable to trust my voice at the moment, I nodded furiously before gasping "yes. Yes, Edward, I will marry you."

I suddenly found myself being swept up in his arms and spun around in circles as he cried out in joy. Before I could fully catch my breath, his lips captured mine tenderly. By the time we broke apart, I was able to see him again, and what I saw caused my heart to stutter. His face was so full of love, joy, and contentment, that my heart could barely contain the knowledge that I was the one who had put that look on his face.

"I love you." To this day I'm not sure if he said it, or I said it, or we both said it at the same time. In that moment, words were no longer necessary. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a beautiful ring and lovingly placed it on my finger.

We did not speak much throughout the rest of the evening. Instead, we were content to just be together, relaxing in the love that surrounded us.

*****

We decided that we wanted a Christmas wedding, as the school break in my schedule would give us enough time for a decent honeymoon. "Besides," I told him, "you are the only gift I'll be needing this year."

Planning the wedding turned out to not be as difficult as I had anticipated. This was largely due to several factors, among them being our desire to keep the event very simple. Also, with the help of Angela, and even Alice, the details were ironed out in no time.

And now, moments away from the culmination of months of efforts, I was nervously pacing. After what may have been my hundredth pass around the room, Angela stopped me, grabbing hold of my shoulders to cease my movements.

"Bella! You need to calm down! Breathe, Bella, breathe." With that, she led me through several yoga breaths, and I felt my body gradually begin to relax. Smiling at my best friend, I thanked her for snapping me out of my anxiety. It wasn't because I was uncertain about whether or not I wanted a life with Edward; it was mostly just the fact that the commitment was so…final.

Knowingly, Angela began to talk about my fiancée who was waiting for me at the other end of the aisle. As I pictured his face, all of my apprehension melted away, and I became giddy with the realization that today was the day that I would be his, and he would be mine. Forever.

My face set in a silly smile, I heard the music begin as the wedding party began filing out into the main room. Tucking my hand into my father's arms, I looked towards the front of the room as the doors opened again. There at the end of the aisle was Edward with a face so filled with love that I could hardly take it all in.

Everyone else faded away. In that moment, only he and I existed as our eyes locked, unfaltering as I walked closer towards him. Closer towards our future. Closer to forever.

**AN Thank you to all who have been enjoying my little story. This is the last chapter, and I hope you enjoyed it!**


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